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how to win an argument with a toddler

Have you ever accidentally made a promise to a toddler that you couldn’t keep? I think it happens to most of us – things often don’t go quite as planned when you’re dealing with little people and feeling a bit frazzled. Luckily, as parents, we get quite skilled at thinking on our feet to get ourselves out of it though.

I found myself in this situation with my two-year-old the other day. It started when we’d just dropped his big brother off somewhere and were getting back into the car. He was wriggly, the weather was foul and rain was slashing in my face as I battled to strap him into his car seat – so naturally he decided it was the perfect time to strike up a conversation:

Me: (trying to salvage the situation) “We’re not, but oooh! I know… why don’t we go home and make polar bear BISCUITS? You love biscuits! POLAR BEAR biscuits. BISCUITS! *thinks if I say polar bear and biscuits enough times maybe I can win this one*

Him: “Ok, yay! We make polar bear biscuits!”

Me *thinks* Phew, got out of that one. *pats self on back*

My self-satisfaction didn’t last long though when we got home and couldn’t find the polar bear biscuit cutter. Which is because we’ve never actually owned a polar bear biscuit cutter. Dur.

Never mind I thought breezily, we’ll just make biscuit dough and shape it into polar bear shapes freestyle, who needs a cutter anyway? Cutters are for wimps!

Oh, but then it turned out we didn’t have enough sugar to make biscuits of any kind. I suppose I could have gone out to buy some (I could even have bought a polar bear cutter at the same time – if they exist) but remember that driving wind and rain I mentioned? There had to be a better solution…

And I found it! Presenting our very special…

Jam tarts! Made with sugar-free dough and plenty of strawberry jam (some recipes include sugar but the jam is quite sweet enough in my opinion).

And you know how I sold these distinctly un polar-bear-shaped treats to him? I just told him that jam tarts were “the sort of biscuits polar bears love to eat!”

He loved them: they were delicious and no one had to go out in the rain.

Oh this is brilliant! So funny that your two-year-old was so convinced that you were going to get a polar bear and I love your way of getting out of it. The jam tarts really made me laugh though – well done for managing to convince your son that these were the polar bear’s favourite biscuits and therefore everything was just fine! I am in awe of your superb parenting skills *doffs hat* Thanks for sharing this with #ftmob

I make these promises all the time – though I have yet to accidentally promise a polar bear – & I usually use some form of food based bribe too! Love the explanation for why they were jam tarts – genius! #FTMOB

We have had similar discussions with our middle child, Toby – only substitute ‘goat’ or ‘owl’ for polar bear. Now I think about it, I’m not sure I’ve ever won an argument with any of my kids, in either their toddler years or subsequently …Tim recently posted…A birthday letter to my 8-year-old son

Oh goodness we recently had a VERY similar conversation over my daughter wanting to bring home a baby bear from the woods. Unfortunately my husband decided to win the conversation by telling her the bear would eat her face off. Dads. :/
I love that your creativity came through to win in the end. Its funny how toddlers can put us I a situation where we have rack our brains very strategically to save ourselves from something we accidentally gave them the impression of. #thetruthabout

Loving your creative thinking there Maddy I have this weird feeling that this may not have worked with my two – they are very tenacious and difficult to trick! Great job on the jam tarts – I’m feeling really peckish now after looking at that… #thetruthaboutSam recently posted…The Truth about… #55

Oh Maddy, I love this! Aren’t toddlers funny when they get something into their heads? My middle child was like this and probably still is to an extent. You have to continue with these little mind games even when they’re teenagers…..just a little harder to distract than a toddler!Suzanne recently posted…Treats, Trips Out and Testing Times {Take 5 Friday}